WARNING, CAUTION, ADVERTENCIA, AVISO: It WILL be a long post. If you don't care to read a long post, and have the need to post about being a long post, stop reading just about NOW!.
Time and Time again I read here about people moving to the DR. SOME with a plan and SOME without one. SOME with motives and SOME without motives.
One of the things that amazes me is that the MOST of the ones that moved without a plan, are the ones that try to make it seem like they are having "the time of their lives" when in reality they are having the time of their lives for just a few weeks and then, most likely, all will go downhill when they are "hit" with the reality that what was paradise when they were on vacation, it's not such a paradise when you have to live there and you have to deal not just a different country, but with a different culture and a very different way of life.
Tell you what, I will straight to the point:
IT'S NOT EASY TO MOVE TO THE DR. Not unless you have been planning it for a long time. That some are "cowboys" and have been able to make it, sure, but I bet that for every one person that makes it without planning it, there are hundreds or others that where not able to make it.
One of the reason that I am starting this thread is because of SOME of the members on this site that have made the mistake of relocating to a country that they just about know nothing about. SOME of these people just do not listen to advices when they are given to them. SOME of these "know-it-all" think that just because they liked the country when they were on vacation, that that's enough reason to leave everything behind and leave the comfort of their homes and countries to venture into the unknown. SOME of these people would meet a dirty sankie at a resort and all of a sudden, that's enough reason to make life changing decisions and leave their countries, family and good jobs in order to relocate to a country that they know nothing about. They are willing to live in poverty in order to be with the "love" of their lives.
I really do not understand how wonderful a country can be when, after you relocate to it, you are living 50 times worse than when you lived in your own country. Why would anybody in their right mind leave everything behind to go to a place, any place, where they will struggle to get a job, struggle with the language, struggle with the people and above all, struggle to adapt to a different culture. It's bad enough that MANY people have problems adjusting even after planning for a long time. Imagine someone who did not plan it.
I know that there are MANY members that have relocated and are happy. I will just write about the most resent one.
Take Larry, for instance, the guy moved to the DR a few weeks ago(close to 2 months, I think). He seems to be happy. But the fact of the matter is that he visited the DR many times. He was familiar with his surroundings. He knew that the DR is a different monster when you are on vacation and when you are actually living there. I am more than sure that he did his homework and planned it. I would be more than surprise if he DID NOT have a apartment and a job waiting for him when his plane landed in the DR.
But for every Larrys, there are MANY horror stories. SOME stories are posted here and MANY are not. Let's take, for instance:
A member's friend decided to relocate to the DR, if I am not mistaken, after visiting the country once. I believe, if my memory serves me right, met a man and started to live with him right away. Not only this person knew NOTHING about the country and culture, but she knew NOTHING about it's people. I am so sorry to say that her boyfriend and his other girlfriend, those mother F'er, killed the poor girl.
Then we have the case of a member who relocated to the DR only to be rescued by other DR1 members because her "love" was not only taking her money and taking advantage of her, but was also beating the hell out of her.
Then we have other cases where the member have met a sankie at a resort and all of a sudden, they know more about the DR than anybody else. SOME end up marrying the sankie because "he is different". These are the worse cases. These people are in complete denial. SOME of these girls are treated like schit by their "love", some of these girls are being abused mentally, emotionally and physically. SOME of these girls are made to be "objects". SOME are told what to do, who they can see. SOME are prisoners in their own homes. SOME are not even permitted to leave the house or to go anywhere without her "love" or a member of her "love" family. Now, is this paradise?.
Once, a member sent me a PM telling me that after she moved to the DR, that she was not going to be able to go online because her husband was not going to allow her and that he would get mad. I told her that NOBODY should tell her what to do and then I "washed my hands". I know for a fact that this member is being abused and is not having the greatest time with her "love" right at this moment !!. Guess what, if you get to the DR and your "lovely" husband does not have an apartment or house waiting for you the second you land there, that's a big red flag. Is this paradise?. Is it worth relocating and marrying someone that you know nothing about?.
Then we have other cases of members who "think" that even if they have never been to the DR, that it's ok to relocate. It's hard enough to have a plan but it's "murder", in most cases, when you know NOTHING about the country and it's culture and it's people. SOME of these people are given advices, left and right, by MANY DR1 members but all of a sudden, we don't know what we are talking about and they are, even if they know nothing about the DR. Guess what, darn it, just because you know ONE Dominican, in your home country, DOES NOT makes you a Dominican Republic expert!!. SOME of these people are just plain ignorant. SOME of these people will leave their homes and loved ones to go to a place where they will need help on EVERYGHING. They will need help in finding a job and a place to live. Since their trip was not planned, SOME of these people end up working anywhere and for any amount of money. SOME move just about anywhere or into any place that the rent is cheap. SINCE most have nothing to offer and are living, in many cases, worse than a poor Dominican, and since SOME never took the time to familiarize themselves with the DR's "everyday life", they star 'hanging out" with ANYBODY that would give them the time of day. SOME of these people will look at a sankie as being the "nicest person". No matter what we tell them, we are ALWAYS WRONG. Only after they realize for themselves that in the DR, a person's reputation means everything, is when they realize that maybe, just maybe some advices that some DR1 members give out, are true. As AZB says time and time again, NO educated or rich Dominican would ever be seen "hanging" with someone that will bring his/her reputation down, be that a foreigner or a Dominican. ANYBODY that sees you 'hanging" with a lowlife in the DR, they will not only think that you are also a lowlife but MOST of those people would not associate with you!.
A very good friend of mine relocated to the DR about 2 weeks ago. I have known this guy since 1974 (31 years). This guy was the slowest planner that I have even known. He started saying that he was moving to the DR about 10 years ago. He also used to say "I have to plan it real well. I don't want my wife and kids to live in poverty so for that reason I will do whatever I need to do to make sure that I will live much better than here. The US is not kicking me out so there's no hurry to move right way". This guy was aware that even though he is Dominican, he lived 31 years of his life in the US. He knew that he needed to learn about the country and it's people all over again. Little by little he started to "prepare" his move. He was a 16 wheelers driver and worked 12-15 hours every single day. He bought lands, he sent a few trucks to sell, he sent a few cars to sell, he sent anything to sell that would make it better to live over there. Finally, at age 44, he "retired" and moved to the DR.
I spoke to him 2 nights ago and even after all his planning he said to me " man, you are right, the DR is a different monster. It's so different when one is on vacation. Thank God for all my planning. How can some people relocate here without money".
The bottom line is that if you live worse in the DR than before you moved there from your home country, chances are that the "moving" there was NOT worth it!. And don't tell me that "but I am happy" crap because I am yet to know of anybody who is happy not knowing from where the next meal is going to come from or if the 4,000 pesos paycheck will be enough to pay all utilities. Is it worth it?. I surely don't think so.
That said, I will keep on planning my "move" to the DR. Btw, I have been planning this move for many years. SOME do it without planning and pay the price ( but let's be realistic, SOME do make it without a plan but the number of those that don't are much, much greater). But, like my friend, I am a very slow planner since I know that the DR is a different monster!!.
In my book, ANYTHING that is not planned, it's not easy!.
Now tell me, is it THAT easy?.
Ps: crap, now I need a BIG drink!!. Lol.
Time and Time again I read here about people moving to the DR. SOME with a plan and SOME without one. SOME with motives and SOME without motives.
One of the things that amazes me is that the MOST of the ones that moved without a plan, are the ones that try to make it seem like they are having "the time of their lives" when in reality they are having the time of their lives for just a few weeks and then, most likely, all will go downhill when they are "hit" with the reality that what was paradise when they were on vacation, it's not such a paradise when you have to live there and you have to deal not just a different country, but with a different culture and a very different way of life.
Tell you what, I will straight to the point:
IT'S NOT EASY TO MOVE TO THE DR. Not unless you have been planning it for a long time. That some are "cowboys" and have been able to make it, sure, but I bet that for every one person that makes it without planning it, there are hundreds or others that where not able to make it.
One of the reason that I am starting this thread is because of SOME of the members on this site that have made the mistake of relocating to a country that they just about know nothing about. SOME of these people just do not listen to advices when they are given to them. SOME of these "know-it-all" think that just because they liked the country when they were on vacation, that that's enough reason to leave everything behind and leave the comfort of their homes and countries to venture into the unknown. SOME of these people would meet a dirty sankie at a resort and all of a sudden, that's enough reason to make life changing decisions and leave their countries, family and good jobs in order to relocate to a country that they know nothing about. They are willing to live in poverty in order to be with the "love" of their lives.
I really do not understand how wonderful a country can be when, after you relocate to it, you are living 50 times worse than when you lived in your own country. Why would anybody in their right mind leave everything behind to go to a place, any place, where they will struggle to get a job, struggle with the language, struggle with the people and above all, struggle to adapt to a different culture. It's bad enough that MANY people have problems adjusting even after planning for a long time. Imagine someone who did not plan it.
I know that there are MANY members that have relocated and are happy. I will just write about the most resent one.
Take Larry, for instance, the guy moved to the DR a few weeks ago(close to 2 months, I think). He seems to be happy. But the fact of the matter is that he visited the DR many times. He was familiar with his surroundings. He knew that the DR is a different monster when you are on vacation and when you are actually living there. I am more than sure that he did his homework and planned it. I would be more than surprise if he DID NOT have a apartment and a job waiting for him when his plane landed in the DR.
But for every Larrys, there are MANY horror stories. SOME stories are posted here and MANY are not. Let's take, for instance:
A member's friend decided to relocate to the DR, if I am not mistaken, after visiting the country once. I believe, if my memory serves me right, met a man and started to live with him right away. Not only this person knew NOTHING about the country and culture, but she knew NOTHING about it's people. I am so sorry to say that her boyfriend and his other girlfriend, those mother F'er, killed the poor girl.
Then we have the case of a member who relocated to the DR only to be rescued by other DR1 members because her "love" was not only taking her money and taking advantage of her, but was also beating the hell out of her.
Then we have other cases where the member have met a sankie at a resort and all of a sudden, they know more about the DR than anybody else. SOME end up marrying the sankie because "he is different". These are the worse cases. These people are in complete denial. SOME of these girls are treated like schit by their "love", some of these girls are being abused mentally, emotionally and physically. SOME of these girls are made to be "objects". SOME are told what to do, who they can see. SOME are prisoners in their own homes. SOME are not even permitted to leave the house or to go anywhere without her "love" or a member of her "love" family. Now, is this paradise?.
Once, a member sent me a PM telling me that after she moved to the DR, that she was not going to be able to go online because her husband was not going to allow her and that he would get mad. I told her that NOBODY should tell her what to do and then I "washed my hands". I know for a fact that this member is being abused and is not having the greatest time with her "love" right at this moment !!. Guess what, if you get to the DR and your "lovely" husband does not have an apartment or house waiting for you the second you land there, that's a big red flag. Is this paradise?. Is it worth relocating and marrying someone that you know nothing about?.
Then we have other cases of members who "think" that even if they have never been to the DR, that it's ok to relocate. It's hard enough to have a plan but it's "murder", in most cases, when you know NOTHING about the country and it's culture and it's people. SOME of these people are given advices, left and right, by MANY DR1 members but all of a sudden, we don't know what we are talking about and they are, even if they know nothing about the DR. Guess what, darn it, just because you know ONE Dominican, in your home country, DOES NOT makes you a Dominican Republic expert!!. SOME of these people are just plain ignorant. SOME of these people will leave their homes and loved ones to go to a place where they will need help on EVERYGHING. They will need help in finding a job and a place to live. Since their trip was not planned, SOME of these people end up working anywhere and for any amount of money. SOME move just about anywhere or into any place that the rent is cheap. SINCE most have nothing to offer and are living, in many cases, worse than a poor Dominican, and since SOME never took the time to familiarize themselves with the DR's "everyday life", they star 'hanging out" with ANYBODY that would give them the time of day. SOME of these people will look at a sankie as being the "nicest person". No matter what we tell them, we are ALWAYS WRONG. Only after they realize for themselves that in the DR, a person's reputation means everything, is when they realize that maybe, just maybe some advices that some DR1 members give out, are true. As AZB says time and time again, NO educated or rich Dominican would ever be seen "hanging" with someone that will bring his/her reputation down, be that a foreigner or a Dominican. ANYBODY that sees you 'hanging" with a lowlife in the DR, they will not only think that you are also a lowlife but MOST of those people would not associate with you!.
A very good friend of mine relocated to the DR about 2 weeks ago. I have known this guy since 1974 (31 years). This guy was the slowest planner that I have even known. He started saying that he was moving to the DR about 10 years ago. He also used to say "I have to plan it real well. I don't want my wife and kids to live in poverty so for that reason I will do whatever I need to do to make sure that I will live much better than here. The US is not kicking me out so there's no hurry to move right way". This guy was aware that even though he is Dominican, he lived 31 years of his life in the US. He knew that he needed to learn about the country and it's people all over again. Little by little he started to "prepare" his move. He was a 16 wheelers driver and worked 12-15 hours every single day. He bought lands, he sent a few trucks to sell, he sent a few cars to sell, he sent anything to sell that would make it better to live over there. Finally, at age 44, he "retired" and moved to the DR.
I spoke to him 2 nights ago and even after all his planning he said to me " man, you are right, the DR is a different monster. It's so different when one is on vacation. Thank God for all my planning. How can some people relocate here without money".
The bottom line is that if you live worse in the DR than before you moved there from your home country, chances are that the "moving" there was NOT worth it!. And don't tell me that "but I am happy" crap because I am yet to know of anybody who is happy not knowing from where the next meal is going to come from or if the 4,000 pesos paycheck will be enough to pay all utilities. Is it worth it?. I surely don't think so.
That said, I will keep on planning my "move" to the DR. Btw, I have been planning this move for many years. SOME do it without planning and pay the price ( but let's be realistic, SOME do make it without a plan but the number of those that don't are much, much greater). But, like my friend, I am a very slow planner since I know that the DR is a different monster!!.
In my book, ANYTHING that is not planned, it's not easy!.
Now tell me, is it THAT easy?.
Ps: crap, now I need a BIG drink!!. Lol.
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